Partout Pour Tous

Somalia: 12 Dead, 20 Injured in Northern Battle

At least twelve people were confirmed killed and more than twenty others wounded in a heavy fighting between the self-proclaimed state of Somaliland military and a local tribal militia in Buhodle town in Togdher region of northern Somalia, reports said on Sunday.

Reports also indicated that the deadly combat flared up, after heavily armed soldiers loyal to Somaliland administration moved into the town of Buhodle early Sunday morning, targeting on a local tribal militia already stayed and controlled of the town.

Faisal Farah, one of tribal militias officers said, four of their combat fighters were killed and eight others wounded during the war.

For his part, the minister of information for the self-proclaimed state of Somaliland, Ahmed Abdihabsade said, his troops managed to capture the town of Buhodle from the clan fighters after offensive. He added that four soldiers from attacking Somaliland have been hurt in the battle.

Crackle of gunfire and thud of mortars used by both warring sides could be heard nearby villages and far from the battle zone of Buhodle town that forced residents to flee from their houses in fear of harm from the fierce fighting with shells, according to residents.

The tribal militias in Buhodle town are trying to defend separatists gathering in nearby town of Taleeh which is aimed to declare the formation of a semi-autonomous state of Somalia. All causalities were reported to be on both sides.

The independent reports from the Buhodle say, Somaliland forces are re-grouping an area 10-km from the town and preparing to launch a counter-attack to retake it from the tribal militia that are still handling the control of Buhodle town.